Being a writer is an amazing thing! And I wonder, how long did it take to call yourself a writer? How about an author?
I remember thinking about my favorite authors, especially the famous ones, and wondering what kind of lives they lived and how it felt to be able to call yourself a writer or author and mean it. Elizabeth Gilbert and Steven King come to mind. I always had visions of them sitting in their cottages with their typewriters. Their worlds seemed so mysterious to me.
How does one get so good at writing that they can make a living at it?
Then, in 2012, I self-published my first book.
Can I call myself a writer now? Are people going to consider me a writer?
I had this weird fear of being a writer and author and massive impostor syndrome, even though I’d been successfully blogging for my business for years. It really took until I had a second book and hundreds of blogs under my belt to come to terms with who I was at heart. I was definitely a writer and author!
My passion grew, and so did the confidence with which I talked about it. This whole thing didn’t feel so mysterious or scary anymore until. . .
. . . I hired my first book-writing coach and was even more afraid at that point.
What if she thinks my writing is horrible? What if I’m no good at this?
What I quickly realized, after getting over the initial resistance I had to criticism, was that the writers and authors who went before me could help me become the writer I hoped to be. I embraced learning. I loved trying new writing tricks. And I did begin, eventually, to love feedback.
One of the best pieces of advice about being a great writer I ever received was to read! When I picked up a great book and couldn’t put it down, I realized I was learning how to be a great writer. I was also learning about the style of writer I wanted to be. One thing I knew right away is that I wanted people to know that writing is a healing tool. I also wanted them to feel. And laugh. I wanted to learn how to write in a way that talked out loud to the book, like I found myself doing on pages that moved me in books I read.
I’ve thought a lot about being a writer since then. I’ve published nine more books of my own. I’ve worked with a couple more writing and book coaches. And I, for sure, have read a lot more books and paid way more attention to what I loved in them. Being a writer is something of an evolution. I love the practice of awareness in it. I love how I feel inspired to sit at my computer when I hear a bird song I’ve never heard before. I love feeling the pull of the keyboard when a life event lights a fire in my soul, and I want to share my thoughts. I love how writing still teaches me what it means to be brave.
Writing (and publishing) have helped me define my purpose. They’re such powerful tools. They help me know when something matters. Writing changes lives.
Here are 5 thoughts to help you move beyond the mystique and embrace the writer in you:
- If you put words on the page, you’re a writer, plain and simple. The very fact that you’re inspired makes you a writer! Whether you think you’re good at it or not is another story. Try not to get too stuck on that part. No rules; just write. Don’t censor yourself. It’s a practice!
- Writing is an art form, and when it comes from your unique connection to Source, it moves from something much bigger and more powerful than you. There’s life’s purpose in writing. Look at it differently, like creating a painting, and be curious.
- Everyone is a writer. Everyone is an artist. Everyone is a healer. We choose how we express ourselves every single day. You are, and can be, any of these things or none of them. The trick is to find joy in the process and explore how that lifts your soul. Writing should create a spark, whether you’re having a little writer’s block or not.
- Great writing is subjective. Remember, someone is waiting to read your words in the way only you can share them. Believe in yourself and your message and the power in your uniqueness.
- Your beliefs set the stage for who you are and what you can do in your life. It’s time to question your beliefs about being a writer. Explore with your journal and pen exactly what you think and believe about yourself. With awareness, you have a choice. Every moment is a moment you can choose to be a writer!
If you’re looking for an amazing community to write (and evolve) with, please join us in The Brave Healer Writer’s Circle . We meet four times every month and enjoy sessions that focus on healing, skill-building, accountability, and community-building.
